Members of Congress are elected in single-member districts according to the "first-past-the-post" (FPTP) principle, meaning that the candidate with the plurality of votes is the winner of the congressional seat. The losing party or parties win no representation at all.

Who wins in a first past the post system?

First Past The Post is a “plurality” voting system: the candidate who wins the most votes in each constituency is elected. their first preference, voters may then choose to express further preferences for as many, or as few, candidates as they wish. The count begins by allocating votes in line with first preferences.

How does first-past-the-post Work NZ?

The first-past-the-post (FPP) electoral system used in New Zealand for much of its history was a simple plurality system, in which voters choose the candidate they wish to represent the electorate they live in. The candidate that garners the most votes through this process is then elected to Parliament.